Speech interactive apparatus and computer program product using output prompts and user responses

A speech interactive apparatus comprising:

• an output unit configured to output a first prompt which needs to be notified to a user;
• a receiving unit configured to receive a start instruction of a speech input from the user as a reply to the first prompt;
• a speech recognizing unit configured to perform speech recognition of a response that is input by the user;
• an interactive unit configured to decide on a second prompt, which is determined according to a speech recognition result of the response, based on interaction information stored in a storing unit and instruct the output unit to output the second prompt;
• a response control unit configured to stop the output of the first prompt when the start instruction is received while the first prompt is being output;
• and
• a deciding unit configured to decide on a first determination period, which is used in determining whether or not a silent state has occurred, based on whether or not the start instruction is received while the first prompt is being output or based on the timing of receiving the start instruction, wherein
• when the response is not input during a period starting from the reception of the start instruction till an elapse of the first determination period, the response control unit determines that the silent state has occurred and instructs the output unit to output the first prompt again.